Ballast treating machine

ABSTRACT

In a ballast treating apparatus, wherein ballast is removed from underneath a track section, cleaned on a screen which separates the removed ballast into clean ballast and rubble, and the clean ballast is returned to the ballast bed, two overlapping conveyor bands are arranged to receive the rubble from the screen and move it away in opposite directions.

United States Patent Plasser et al.

[451 Aug. 22, 1972 [541- BALLAST TREATING MACHINE [72] Inventors: FranzPlasser; Josef Theurer, both of Vienna; Karl Folser, Linz-Urfahr, all ofAustria [73] Assignee: Franz Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen-Industrie-Gesellschaft m.b.H., Vienna, Austria [22] Filed: Dec. 10, 1970[21] Appl. No.: 96,774

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 18, 1969 Austria ..l 1775 52us. Cl ..17l/l6 51 Im. Cl. ..E0lb 27/00 [58] Field of Search ..l71/16[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,793,389 2/1931 Elmer..l7l/l6 2,737,901 3/1956 Drouard et a1. 171/16 2,791,410 5/1957Allemann ..171/l6 Primary Examiner-Antonio F. Guida Attorney-Kurt KelmanABSTRACT In a ballast treating apparatus, wherein ballast is removedfrom underneath a track section, cleaned on a screen which separates theremoved ballast into clean ballast and rubble, and the clean ballast isreturned to the ballast bed, two overlapping conveyor bands are arrangedto receive the rubble from the screen and move it away in oppositedirections.

I 14 Clains, 4 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 22, 1972 3,685,589

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m4; WM

RGENT Patented Aug. 22, 1912 3,685,589

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lid 6 H BALLAST TREATING MACHINE The present inventionrelates to improvements in an apparatus for treating ballast, whereinthe apparatus has a frame moving on a track including rails fixed toties resting on a ballast bed.

Known apparatus of theis type comprises a ballast removing bucket chainmounted on the frame and including a stringer extending horizontally andtransversely undemeath the track for removing ballast from the ballastbed, a ballast cleaning screen mounted on the frame and separating theremoved ballast into clean ballast and rubble, and a conveyor system forconveying removed ballast from the ballast removing chain means, and forconveying the clean ballast from the ballast cleaning screen to theballast bed in a conveying path.

Such apparatus also comprises further conveying means arranged toreceive the rubble from the screen and for removing it, usually in aforward direction in respect of the working direction of the apparatus.The rubble is then loaded on trucks or cars for removal or at leasttemporarily deposited laterally of the track. When the amount of removedrubble is considerable, this requires a great number of cars in front ofthe apparatus, or laterally thereof, for which there is not always room.Difficulties are also encountered in arranging and moving a great numberof cars for loading and subsequent removal of the rubble. Furthermore,the single conveyor for removing the rubble often has insufficientcapacity to handle all the rubble produced in a continuous and rapidballast cleaning operation. Just about the same difficulties areencountered if the rubble is removed to the rear by a single conveyor.

It is the primary object of this invention to overcome these and otherdisadvantages, which the invention accomplishes with a first conveyorband arranged to move the rubble forwardly in the working direction anda second conveyor band arranged to move the rubble backwardly in respectof this direction.

Such an apparatus is very readily adapted to local requirements. Ifthere is more room for removal of the rubble in front of the apparatus,the rubble is moved forwardly; if there is more room in back, the rubbleis moved there. If the removed ballast is particularly dirty or isaltogether useless and must be removed entirely as rubble, both conveyorbands may be operated to remove the rubble in opposite directionssimultaneously.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment, one of the conveyor bands isselectively movable in both directions. In this case, one of theconveyor bands may be operated to remove the rubble while the workingdirection of the other conveyor band is reversed to deliver fresh cleanballast to the apparatus.

Throughout the specification and claims, the term conveyor band and thelike includes not only endless elastic bands but also plate conveyors,scraper flight conveyors, vibratory chutes and all conveying meansfunctioning in an equivalent manner.

According to one advantageous feature of the invention, each conveyorband has an end extending under the ballast cleaning screen, theconveyor band ends overlapping in the direction of track elongation,with one overlapping conveyor band end being arranged above the otherconveyor band end. A conveyor band of the conveyor system for conveyingthe clean ballast to the ballast bed is arranged adjacent the oneconveyor band end and ballast guide means is arranged to direct ballastfrom the one conveyor band end to the conveyor band of the conveyorsystem.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of a now preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. 1 is a side view, partially,in section, of a mobile abllast treating apparatus according to thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the central part of the apparatus ofFIG. 1, showing the overlapping ends of the two conveyor bands forremoving the rubble from the ballast cleaning screen; and

FIG. 4 is a top view of FIG. 3, withthe ballast cleaning screen removed.

Referring now to the drawing, the apparatus is shown to include anelongated frame 1 having from and rear running gears 2, 2 moving over atrack which includes rails 3 fixed to ties 4 resting on ballast 5. In aconventional manner, a bucket chain conveyor having a stringer 6extending horizontally and transversely underneath the track is mountedon the apparatus frame for removing ballast from underneath the track.The upper ends 7, 7 of the bucket conveyor are mounted for pivoting theconveyor laterally, i.e. transversely of the track, as well asvertically. In the illustrated embodiment, the bucket conveyor movesthrough a triangular path determined by a pair of guide rolls 8, 8 and adriven roll 9 over which the conveyor chain is trained. Obviously, otherabllast removing means may be used, and the invention is not concernedwith the structure of such means.

As is also conventional, the upwardly moving ballast removed fromunderneath the track is conveyed to a ballast cleaning means which isillustrated herein as a swinging, vibratory screen 10 which is mountedon frame 1 downwardly inclined for gravity feeding the cleaned ballastand the rubble separated therefrom to subsequent conveyor means. Therubble is separated from the ballast on screen 10 by falling throughapertures in the screen.

In accordance with the present invention, overlapping ends of first andsecond conveyor bands 11 and 12 are arranged under the screen and aremovable in opposite directions for selectively moving the rubblebackwardly by means of conveyor band 11 or forwardly by means ofconveyor band 12, the latter discharging the rubble to a pivotaldischarge conveyor 13 which may discharge the rubble on cars and trucks.The path of the conveyed rubble is determined by adjustable guide meansconsisting of pivotal bafiles 14 and 17 which may be moved into selectedpositions indicated in full and broken lines, respectively, by remotecontrollable drives 14' and 17, which are preferably hydraulic motors.Furthermore, the bottom of the support of the bucket conveyor 6 hasadischarge port which may be selectively opened and closed by a slidingdoor 15 movable by a hydraulic motor 16. When the port is opened, thebucket conveyor will not deliver the removed ballast to the cleaningscreen but will discharge it directly to conveyor band 11 or 12,depending on the pivotal position of baffles 14 and 17.

This will be done when the entire removed ballast is considered rubble,i.e. no portion thereof can be used again.

The conveyance of the rubble or untreated, removed ballast may beeffected in the following manner with the above-described'arrangement:

1. If it is desired to convey all of the rubble forwardly, the driverollers of the first and second conveyor bands 11 and 12 are drivencounterclockwise and the guide baffle 14 is pivoted into the positionshown in full lines in FIG. 3. In this manner, one portion of the rubblefalling through screen will be gravity fed through the open dischargeport in the support bottom of the screen directly to conveyor band 12while the other portion thereof will fall through the screen directlyonto conveyor band l1 which will discharge this portion of the rubbleontothe conveyor band 12 since the superposed discharge end of conveyorband 11 overlaps the intake end of conveyor band 12. I 2. If it isdesired to convey all of the rubble backwardly, the discharge port inthe support bottom of the screen is closed bypivoting the guide baffle14 into the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 3 and the conveyorband 11 is moved in clockwise direction, i.e. opposite to the workingdirection of the apparatus. In this manner, the portion of the rubblefalling through the screen onto the downwardly inclined support bottomwill be gravity fed onto the conveyor band 11 while the positedirections, i.e. conveyor band 11 clockwise and conveyor band 12counter-clockwise, while the baffle guide 14 assumes the upwardlypivoted position shown in full lines.

away without cleaning, the slide door 15 in the bottom of the bucketconveyor support is opened and the guide baffle 17 is pivoted upwardlyin the position indicated in broken lines in FIG. 3 so that the removedballast falls directly onto conveyor band 12 to be moved forwardly. Onthe other hand, if the guide baffle 17 is pivoted downwardly into theposition shown in full lines and the guide bafile. 14 is pivotedupwardly, the removed ballast will be divided for forward and backwardmovement on conveyor bands 11 and 12 when the two conveyor bands aremoved in opposite directions.

If the guide baffle 14 also is in the lowered posi- 1 tion, the entireremoved ballast will be moved I backwardly by conveyor band 11.

As will be noted inthe drawing, the section of the track, under whichballast is removed by bucket conveyor 6, is lifted by a pair .of tracklifting means 18 and 19 of generally conventional structure, the trackjack 18 being mounted on frame 1 substantially in vertical alignmentwith the transversely extending stringer of bucket conveyor 6 while thetrack jack 19 is mounted behind it (in the working direction). Theillustrated track jacks have pairs of rail gripping rollers 18a, 19a,

Finally, if the entire removed ballast is to be taken the moving speedof the apparatus so that, regardless of this speed, the ballast will becompacted uniformly. To maintain the track in its repositioned and linedcondition, clean ballast is also conveyed to the cribs of therepositioned track at B by means of chute 21 receiving clean ballastfrom screen 10 in a manner more fully described hereinafter. Thisadditional ballast fill provides sufficient ballast for the subsequenttarnping operation wherein ballast is tamped fixing the track inposition.

The conveyance of clean ballast in selected amounts and to selectedtrack sections is adapted to need by providing a ballast storage meansin the conveyor path of the conveyor system, the preferred storage meansbeing a bin having an open top through which ballast may pass aftertemporary storage therein. The illustrated storage means is a bin 22whose open top is posi-. tioned below the discharge ends of a pair ofelongated endless conveyor bands 23 extending in the direction of trackelongation. The conveyor bands 23 receive cleaned ballast from screen 10in annanner to be described hereinafter and, as shown in FIG. 2, theyare pivotally mountedon frame 1 for lateral movement of their dischargeends, enabling the ballast to be distributed uniformly as it isdischarged. As will be noted from FIG. 4, such uniform discharge of theballast to the track is also assured from thestorage bin which extendsat least the entire width of the track, i.e. the length of ties 4, butpreferably transversely over the width of the entire ballast bed.

The open storage bin 22 is divided into two storage chambers 25 and 26by a hinged door 24 which maybe selectively pivoted into positionsindicated by full and broken lines by a preferably remote controlledhydraulic motor 24'. The front storage chamber 25, which is verticallyaligned with the ballast filling station A, has a slidably adjustablebottom27 for discharging selected amounts of ballast, adjusted positionsof the bottom 27 ,being indicated in full and broken lines,respectively,

from the above description and the drawing herein, and

is as follows:

Ifthe amount of clean ballast at stations A and B, i.e. underneath thelifted track section and the cribs of the repositioned track section,respectively, corresponds to the amount of clean ballast coming fromscreen 10, the

under the ties for sliding bottom 27 is opened fully into the retractedposition shown in full lines therein. This assures the full amount ofclean ballast delivered to the open bin 22 by conveyor bands 23 to bereturned to station A, the feeding of clean ballast from screen toconveyor bands 23 being regulated by pivotal baffle 29 which may beselectively adjusted to direct the ballast to the conveyor bands 23 orthe chute 21, or which may be pivoted to an intermediate positionwherein portions of the clean ballast are directed to the conveyor bands23 while another portion thereof will fall through chute 21 into cribsof the repositioned track.

If the screen 10 delivers more clean ballast than is needed at stationsA and B, a selected amount of the clean ballast may be deflected intorear storage chamber 26 of bin 22 by suitably pivoting the baffles intoselected positions across the conveyor bands 23 so that some or all ofthe conveyed ballast is'prevented from passing the baffles towards thedischarge ends of the conveyor bands and is forced to drop into storagechamber 26. FIG. 4 illustrates one of the bafiles 30 in a blockingposition wherein all of the ballast is deflected into storage chamber 26while the other bafile 30 is pivoted completely out of the way to permitall of the ballast to reach the discharge end of the conveyor band. Asin the case of all the guide or baffle means selectively directing theclean ballast along the conveyor means, the baffles 30 are remotecontrolled by hydraulic drives 30'.

On the other hand, if the conveyor bands 23 deliver too little cleanballast to satisfy the requirements, clean ballast stored in storage bin22 is mixed with the conveyed ballast to obtain the desire amounts. Atstation A, this is accomplished by opening the hinged wall 24 into theposition indicated in broken lines in FIG. 3 to gravity feed cleanballast from reserve chamber 26 into the forward chamber 25 of thestorage bin. Ifadditional ballast is needed in the cribs of therepositioned track, trap door 28 of the reserve storage chamber 26 islowered into the position shown in broken lines so that stored ballastfalls from the chamber 26 into a crib therebelow.

Further regulation of the ballast feed to station A is possible byadjusting the position of slidable bottom 27 so that selected amounts ofballast are discharged through the opening in the bottom of chamber 25.

In case the screen 10 delivers too little or no clean ballast, whichwill happen when the removed ballast is so dirty or comminuted that allof it falls through the screen openings and is taken away by conveyor12, the conveyor band 11 is reversible so that it may be usedselectively to carry away fines and dirt discharged through screen 10 orto deliver clean ballast to the apparatus. When clean ballast is to bedelivered by con veyor band 11 to conveyor bands 23, 23, a wedgeshapedbaffle 31 is lowered into position of the conveyor band 11 to directclean ballast off the conveyor 11 to the conveyors 23, 23, this baffleagain being remote controlled by drive 31.

Obviously, many variations and modifications of the described andillustrated structure will occur to those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present invention,particularly after benefiting from the teaching thereof. For instance, afurther conveyor band parallel to conveyor 11 could be provided todeliver additional clean ballast to the apparatus simultaneously withthe backward removal of rubble therefrom.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for treating ballast and adapted to move in a workingdirection on a track including railsv fixed to ties resting on a ballastbed, comprising 1. a frame moving on the track rails;

2. a ballast removing chain means mounted on the frame and including astringer extending horizontally and transversely underneath the trackfor removing ballast from the ballast bed;

3. a ballast cleaning screen mounted on the frame and separating theremoved ballast into clean ballast and rubble;

4. a conveyor system for conveying removed ballast from the ballastremoving chain means, and for conveying the clean ballast from theballast clean-- ing screen to the ballast bed in a conveying path; and

. further conveying means arranged to receive the rubble from the screenand for removing the rubble, the further conveying means including afirst conveyor band arranged to move' the rubble forwardly in theworking direction and a second conveyor band arranged to move the rubblebackwardly in respect of said direction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the conveyor bandsis movable in both directions.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said conveyor bands has anend extending under the ballast cleaning screen, the conveyor band endsoverlapping in the direction of track elongation.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein one of the overlapping conveyorband ends is arranged above the other conveyor band end, a conveyor bandof the conveyor system for conveying the clean ballast to the ballastbed is arranged adjacentthe one conveyor band end, and ballast guidemeans is arranged to direct ballast from the one conveyor band end tothe conveyor band of the conveyor system.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising ballast guide meansmounted between the screen and the first and second conveyor bandsfordistributing the rubble onto said conveyor bands.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a ballast storage meansin the conveying path between the ballast cleaning screen and theballast bed.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the ballast storage means is a binopen on top, the bin being arranged to receive the clean ballast throughthe open top, and an adjustable door means in the bin for selectivelyreleasing stored ballast.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the ballast storage means hasballast discharge means arranged to discharge clean ballast to theballast bed.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the ballast storage means is a binand an adjustable wall divides the bin into two storage chambers.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein one of the storage chambers has anapertured bottom, means is provided for selectively opening and closingthe bottom for selective discharge of clean ballast to the ballast bed,and the conveyor system including a conveyor band having a discharge endfor discharging clean ballast into the one storage chamber.

7 1 l. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising guide meansarranged to direct clean ballast from the at a discharge end of oneofthe conveyor bands and to discharge the rubble.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising liftingmeans mounted onthe frame forliftingasection of the track above said stringer, thelifting meanscomprising a first track lifting means substantiallyvertically aligned with the stringer, and a second track lifiing meansmounted adjacent the first track lifting means in the direction of trackelongation.

1. An apparatus for treating ballast and adapted to move in a workingdirection on a track including rails fixed to ties resting on a ballastbed, comprising
 1. a frame moving on the track rails;
 2. a ballastremoving chain means mounted on the frame and including a stringerextending horizontally and transversely underneath the track forremoving ballast from the ballast bed;
 3. a ballast cleaning screenmounted on the frame and separating the removed ballast into cleanballast and rubble;
 4. a conveyor system for conveying removed ballastfrom the ballast removing chain means, and for conveying the cleanballast from the ballast cleaning screen to the ballast bed in aconveying path; and
 5. further conveying means arranged to receive therubble from the screen and for removing the rubble, the furtherconveying means including a first conveyor band arranged to move therubble forwardly in the working direction and a second conveyor bandarranged to move the rubble backwardly in respect of said direction. 2.a ballast removing chain means mounted on the frame and including astringer extending horizontally and transversely underneath the trackfor removing ballast from the ballast bed;
 2. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein at least one of the conveyor bands is movable in bothdirections.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said conveyorbands has an end extending under the ballast cleaning screen, theconveyor band ends overlapping in the direction of track elongation. 3.a ballast cleaning screen mounted on the frame and separating theremoved ballast into clean ballast and rubble;
 4. a conveyor system forconveying removed ballast from the ballast removing chain means, and forconveying the clean ballast from the ballast cleaning screen to theballast bed in a conveying path; and
 4. The apparatus of claim 3,wherein one of the overlapping conveyor band ends is arranged above theother conveyor band end, a conveyor band of the conveyor system forconveying the clean ballast to the ballast bed is arranged adjacent theone conveyor band end, and ballast guide means is arranged to directballast from the one conveyor band end to the conveyor band of theconveyor system.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising ballastguide means mounted between the screen and the first and second conveyorbands for distributing the rubble onto said conveyor bands.
 5. furtherconveying means arranged to receive the rubble from the screen and forremoving the rubble, the further conveying means including a firstconveyor band arranged to move the rubble forwardly in the workingdirection and a second conveyor band arranged to move the rubblebackwardly in respect of said direction.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1,further comprising a ballast storage means in the conveying path betweenthe ballast cleaning screen and the ballast bed.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 6, wherein the ballast storage means is a bin open on top, the binbeing arranged to receive the clean ballast through the open top, and anadjustable door means in the bin for selectively relEasing storedballast.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the ballast storage meanshas ballast discharge means arranged to discharge clean ballast to theballast bed.
 9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the ballast storagemeans is a bin and an adjustable wall divides the bin into two storagechambers.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein one of the storagechambers has an apertured bottom, means is provided for selectivelyopening and closing the bottom for selective discharge of clean ballastto the ballast bed, and the conveyor system including a conveyor bandhaving a discharge end for discharging clean ballast into the onestorage chamber.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising guidemeans arranged to direct clean ballast from the last-named conveyor bandto the other storage chamber.
 12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein theballast storage means has ballast discharge means arranged to dischargeclean ballast into successive cribs of the ballast bed.
 13. Theapparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pivotal discharge conveyorarranged to receive rubble at a discharge end of one of the conveyorbands and to discharge the rubble.
 14. The apparatus of claim 1, furthercomprising lifting means mounted on the frame for lifting a section ofthe track above said stringer, the lifting means comprising a firsttrack lifting means substantially vertically aligned with the stringer,and a second track lifting means mounted adjacent the first tracklifting means in the direction of track elongation.